In fact, for home decor, books are more popular than ever. There’s nothing more comforting than keeping great books around every reading nook and cranny of your home: the living room, the study, the kid’s playroom and even the bedroom. Our lives are filled with word and letters; why not bring them home and have book-themed decor elements to show your love of the literary arts?

Books as decor elements

We mostly think of books as utilitarian objects containing entertainment or information. Bibliophiles like to collect a large amount of them, but they are also fascinated by the words inside of them. But have you ever thought about using books–their color, their shape and their texture–as decor elements?

Books can be built into any type of decor: traditional, rustic, minimalist and modern. The easiest way to fit books to your room is to find books with colors that match your paint and furniture, just like you would any other accessory. Old hardcovers, found for dollars in used bookstores, tend to have a uniform cover color and can easily be coordinated.

If you don’t like the colors, you can always wrap the covers in colored tissue or wrapping paper or fabric that matches your theme. This option also gives you the possibility to change your cover color as often as you like, following your whims and the seasons.

If you’re crafty, you can let your imagination run free and use books in original ways. Glue the pages and cut a hole in them for an original remote box; make hanging paper cranes and airplanes out of torn pages; cut off your favorite covers and hang them on your wall. The possibilities are limitless!

Original bookshelves

If you’d rather keep the books in reading condition, you can always show your originality by adding unusual bookshelves around the house.

An easy way to do this is to use big, hardcover coffee-table sized books (or any size that fits your project) as wall shelves. Install the brackets as you would for an ordinary wood shelves, and install the book on top instead. Add a bracket on the top to hold the book in place or, if you don’t mind drilling holes in your book, fix it with screws. You now have beautifully original shelves!

Another great idea is to add bookshelves in unexpected places or set them in unexpected order. Ever thought about putting books together according to color? It’s a great way to add a colorful pop to a white room or to coordinate disparate accessories and objects. You get your own reading rainbow!

Book collectors always run into the problem of space. Where to put all those books when no more bookshelves can make it on your walls? Think around space: under side tables, above door frames, under stairwells. Finding books in unexpected places brings a breath of originality of any home.

Words on fabric

Words can also spill out of the books and reach your every day living space. Play word games in your living room with Scrabble cushions, or read in your sleep with original literary sheets.

There are unlimited possibilities between fabric and letters, especially with a little craftiness. Get some fabric paint and get your kids to draw their favorite characters on their own sheets (thus saving you a ton of money on branded bed sets). Use your needlepoint and cross-stitch skills to make your own wordy statements on cushions, t-shirts, tablecloths, pillowcases and any other fabric around the house.

No matter where your love of books comes from, you can display it in your home not only with filled bookshelves, but also with book-themed decoration ideas. Words don’t have to remain between the closed covers of book pages. Set them free with some of these book decor ideas!

How do you feel about using books as decor? What idea strikes your fancy? Have you ever used books in an original or unexpected way? Describe your ideal book-themed home!

Anabelle is a freelance writer, writing teacher and blogger. She spends a lot of time at home, so she likes to make sure that it's cozy and nice, especially in her reading nook. In her free time, Anabelle knits, walks and learns how to write stories.